Gig at December Nights on Friday the 7th

December Nights at Balboa Park
December Nights at Balboa Park
December Nights at Balboa Park

I’ve scheduled a last minute gig this Friday, December 7th at the yearly December Nights festival in Balboa Park with San Diego’s House of Sweden. The House of Pacific Relations is made up of groups like the House of Sweden from nearly 30 other countries. Many of these countries have cottages where the groups meet and carry out the objectives of the organization. The cottages are arranged in a ring that encloses a courtyard and stage where the performances are held.

Concert info:
December 7th, 7pm-7:30pm
Address: 1549 El Prado. San Diego
Stage is located near the cottages of House of Pacific Relations

Balboa Park December Nights, the nation’s premier holiday festival, will take place for the 35th consecutive year on Friday, Dec. 7, 5-10pm, and Saturday, Dec. 8, noon-10pm. As always, the event brings families and friends together to spread holiday joy, learn more about the cultural value of Balboa Park and kick-off the “most wonderful time of the year.”

Participating Balboa Park museums open their doors free of charge from 5-9 pm both evenings and more than 300,000 visitors are expected to experience the joy of San Diego’s largest free community festival. Those who attend will participate in a truly multicultural experience, enjoying food, music and entertainment from around the world.

Revelers can watch top-notch musical and dance performances, enjoy delicious and diverse food choices and help spread a heavy dose of holiday cheer. Some of the more well-known traditions include food from around the globe at the International Christmas Festival at the House of Pacific Relations Cottages; the annual Santa Lucia Procession at the Plaza de California; unique gift shopping at the museum stores and with the artisans of Spanish Village; and musical and dance presentations from the San Diego Junior Theatre, San Diego Civic Youth Ballet, Del Cerro Baptist’s Christmas Story Tree, and more.

Live review from Shakerag, FL

[quote] Sofia Talvik left a full house at The Shakerag Art and Culture Center cheering for more!! What a show to kick off the new year!! We can’t wait to have her back! [/quote]

Joseph Saccocci, Shakerag music director

Santa – reviews

Sofia Talvik annual Christmas single "Santa (can you bring me someone else this year)"

My new Xmas single “Santa” has only been out for a day but I’ve already got some lovely reviews:

Women’s Radio has written a fun review:

“Santa” has that 80’s music vibe that will make listeners bob their heads unknowingly.  Imagine Santa Claus bouncing around with a Mohawk, jean jacket and tight leather pants.  It is a cheerful, bubbly and hope-filled piece that will bring positive energy to Talvik’s cause this year.
Read the full review here.

Free Christmas Music Blog says:

“This year’s single, “Santa (can you bring me someone else this year)”, was just released today, and it’s every bit as good as I expected it to be (which is a relief, because I often worry when my expectations get too high for something). Musically, “Santa” is a fun, synthesizer-based pop song that would not sound out of place on a mid-80s Madonna album.  If you’re a fan of songs like “Last Christmas”, this song is a must hear.”
Read full review here

Santas Working Overtime has chosen “Santa” as song of the day! Thanks!

Wears the Trousers magazine did a nice little write up – check it out here! .. as did the lovely blog With Music in My Mind!

Stubby’s House of Christmas wrote in their review:>
“I love this woman.  And every year Sofia Talvik releases a free Christmas song, so what’s not to love?  This year’s effort is a fairly uptempo danceable indie track, even if the lyrics are the “I’ve been alone since we split up” type.  It might be her catchiest yet.”

Read the whole review here

Fab Womens Radio has already put “Santa” in rotation and writes on their website:
“Highlights?  Just about every single track, but why not start with this week’s FEATURED FEMMEP3, a glorious new track from our favorite Swedish singer-songwriter, Sofia Talvik, titled, “Santa”.”

Download your copy of “Santa” here

Sofia Talvik annual Christmas single "Santa (can you bring me someone else this year)"
Sofia Talvik annual Christmas single "Santa (can you bring me someone else this year)"

Fabulous Myspace

I suppose many of you that read this blog has found it through myspace.

I know everybody's already been raving about myspace for ages but I have to cheer a bit more. This time it's because of a wonderful pianist I found through myspace and immediately tied to the new album.

I actually used to play the piano myself. I played classic paino for about 10 years, but then I moved out of my parents place and realised that a guitar is so much lighter than a piano. I still play when I'm at their house and I sometimes dream of having my own piano, but for now the guitar will have to do, and for playing on the album, well I better leave that to someone more talanted than me.

So when I stumbled over Jozsef Nemeth's myspace site I couldn't have been more lucky. Funnily enough Jozsef is Swedish, like me, even though he lives in the US. And with you eight million or so Americans on myspace, we Swedes have to fight for our own, right? 😉 Anyway, we exchanged a couple of emails and later that week a mp3 found its way to my inbox. I didn't dare to hope too much as you never know with people on the internet (just a while ago one person offered to mix my album in Garageband… so there sure are all kinds). But the piano Jozsef had composed for my song was wonderful, daring, careful and beautiful.

I'll post some samples later on, so until then you'll have to make do with this pic of Jozsef. And visit his myspace site for some of his own samples.